Off the Rails
by kidd12
Summary: They all knew it wasn't a good idea to mix the two schools. They all knew that choas would ensue. But no one expected this. Better Summary inside RoxasxNamine
1. Welcome to the Jungle

Summary: Everyone knew the idea of mixing to two high schools together was a bad idea. With the Twilight Academy having being a school known for its model citizens and Twilight High School being known for it's delinquents. Everyone understood that this school year was going to be the worst yet. First impressions are defiantly tough but when sweet, innocent Namine meets Hell's Angel, Roxas, what could happen? Even he isn't a total bad guy…right?

-x-x-x-

This was it; this was the day that the high school students of Twilight Town were dreading. Sometime during the summer, Twilight Academy, the only private high school in Twilight Town, had burnt down in a fire due to electrical means, or at least that's what was claimed. Every student from the Academy was sure of what had really happened. Since the new private school couldn't be built in time, the students that were due to attend the academy were to be put in Twilight High School, the only other high school in Twilight Town. Needless to say that the children from both sides were angry about this, both having their own reasons, but in was inevitable. Though maybe, in every mile of darkness, there's an inch of light.

-x-x-x-

"I can't believe we have to go to school with those punks," Kairi yelled as she and her two best friends, Namine and Selphie, were walking to their first day in a public school.

"I mean its bad enough that we have to live in the same town as them but the same school," Selphie added.

"It couldn't be that bad, I mean, they are human, right," Namine told them encouragingly. Right about that time two boys flew by on skateboards and nearly knocked her over. Selphie and Kairi caught her right in time though.

"No, Namine, they're not human," Kairi told her as they watched the two boys stop and turn back toward them. One had flaming red hair and the other had a mullet. Both were wearing tattered looking clothing. The red headed one had on charcoal colored hoodie that had a large skull in the middle and an old pair of jeans. The one with the mullet was wearing a blue hoodie that had a guitar across it and a pair of dark jeans. They both walked up to the three girls with wide smiles.

"Hello ladies, may I say all three of you look very nice today," the one with red hair told them as he leaned on his skate board.

"Whatever," Kairi said as they walked past.

"Why would you be walking to school all alone?" the red head asked as the two followed them.

"Go away," Selphie responded.

"Oh come on now, why be so harsh," the red head started and Kairi smacked him. The boy with the mullet just cackled.

"We said go away," Kairi told him.

"Well that was a little uncalled for," the red head told her.

"I think they said, leave them alone," they all turned to the new voice to see a boy about there age and he had silver hair. Namine knew him, his name was Riku. Every girl at the academy wanted to date him, he was like the prince. Namine was probably the only one who didn't. She could see through Riku and his appearances and she didn't like him at all, which seemed to make Riku like her all the more.

"What are you going to do about it?" the red head asked as he looked over at him.

"Why don't you public school kids just keep to yourselves," Riku retorted.

"Or what?" the read head responded.

"Trust me, you don't want to know what," Riku responded with a stern look. This caused the red headed one to only laugh.

"Hey Demyx, where did we go to school last year?" he asked his mullet headed friend, though never took his eyes of Riku.

"Twilight High," Demyx seemed to answer simply.

"And where do you think this…thing…went?" He asked.

"Twilight Academy," Demyx answered.

"Right...so if I'm not mistaken, that makes you the trespassers, right?" the red head said with a sly smirk creeping on his face.

"Why I believe you are right, Axel," Demyx said with a smile.

"Hey, kid!" all six of the teens looked over to see the elderly man standing out on his porch, a cane held in the air to catch their attention and also as a threat.

"You two, you're the two who broke my window! I know it was you!" the man seemed to yell, his gaze falling angrily at Axel and Demyx.

"Man! We've told you a thousand times we've never even been close to your house other then the sidewalk!" Demyx argued.

"Get lost before I call the cops!" the man called, either not hearing Demyx or not caring.

"Come on, I get taken home by the cops again, Reno will kill me," Axel seemed to whisper to Demyx. Then his attention turned back to Riku. "Don't think this is over pretty boy." With that, the two rolled off on their skateboards and the man still waving his cane at them.

"Why thank you Riku," Kairi said with a small giggled.

"I'm getting to school before I'm late," Namine said, annoyed by all of the boys.

"Yeah…Namine's right, come on," Selphie seemed to say behind her and soon they were all headed toward the unknown high school.

-x-x-x-

Twilight High School was defiantly a totally different world then what Namine was used to. The building was large or larger then she was used to. It had three stories, and seemed to expand outward and looked some what like an oversized prison. It was made of old red brick, which shined vividly in the town of never ending twilight. There was a stone wall that stood around the small courtyard in front of the building, and it was filled. It was chaos. Namine figured the only time the two different groups had ever been remotely close together was at a sports game or a pep rally or something like that. Other than that, the town was pretty much cut in half, and the two groups kept to themselves.

"This place is…disgusting," Selphie said looking over the seen as the three; they had lost Riku when he had spotted some of his friends, made their way quickly into the building. The inside of the building wasn't any better. Graffiti was sprayed on the walls, no doubt from seniors of the past, and there were students painting over the strange markings. Namine looked at them a little closer. They seemed to look like hearts to her. Hearts with odd shaped swords stabbed through the top of them. Then she found herself somehow knocked backwards by something.

"Hey, watch it! Look what you did!" Namine found herself staring up at a teenager, who was defiantly older then her. He wore a black t-shirt that had a picture of a grim reaper of some sort, holding out a rose seemingly and also a pair of old baggy cargo shorts. That wasn't his most interesting feature though.

"Your hair…is…pink?" Namine said, it coming out more as a question then a statement. Though it was true, his shoulder length hair was pink.

"No, you're color blind," the boy said sarcastically giving Namine an extra glare. That's when Namine noticed the large puddle of white paint on the floor and the roller in the boy's hand.

"Sorry…about that," Namine stammered a little as she got to her feet. She looked around for Kairi or Selphie, but soon noticed they must have gone on without her or lost her in this large crowd. Which made the situation much more frightening then before, or so it seemed to Namine. At her old school, she had never seen a guy hit a girl. It was a weird kind of courtesy thing…one that she wasn't exactly sure existed here.

"Ah look on the bright side Marly; she got you out of painting half the wall. Just say Demyx kicked the bucket and you're golden." A blonde boy with spiked hair told him as he clamped a hand on the boy known as Marly's shoulder and laughed. This boy seemed different for some reason. It may have just been because he was the first new person who hadn't addressed her in some mean or aggravating way. Yet he looked so much like every one of them. His clothes were obviously not bought in a brand store. It was just a simple brown hoodie that had blue and green graffiti printed into it and a pair of black cargo pants that had red stripes down the side.

"Shut up Roxas," Marly growled something in the statement that Namine hadn't caught seeming to get on his nerves.

"Alright, alright, nice to see you again too, have you seen Hayner around anywhere though? He ran off with my lunch this morning, again," Roxas said, his laughing fading slightly.

"Nope, he hasn't shown up yet," Marly responded simply as he dipped the roller in some of the spilled paint and started to paint over some of the graffiti.

"Well, thanks then," Roxas responded. With that, he stepped on by his friend and with a small smile to Namine, he passed her too. He headed across the large tiled area and up a set of stairs. Soon he was just lost in the crowd too. Just like that, Namine found herself forgotten. She headed off in the direction of where her locker was. Before school had started they had given the new students a tour of the school, just so they would be "better acquainted" and all of that. Namine sighed and opened her locker, a note falling out as she did. She put her bag in the bottom of the locker as she took the seeming old piece of white construction paper and opened it.

"Dear TPA,

We don't like you; in fact we quite hate you. Go home. No one likes you here, no one wants you here. So why bother? If you don't want to leave, then understand this place has a balance. Mess with it, and it's going to blow up in your face. Whether I'm being literal or not is up to you."

Namine stared at the note, not understanding. She grabbed her notebook and slammed the locker shut. She folded the note tightly and held it in her hand as she walked to her first class. The words seemed to jump out in her head. It was a simple note, like anyone would actually hurt her for going here.

"Hey Namine, come here," Kairi called as she entered her first class. Namine went to the front corner of the room where Kairi, Selphie, and few of her other friends from her old school where sitting.

"Namine, did you get a note like this?" Selphie asked as she held up the same note as Namine had found in her locker, only it was written on red construction paper instead of white.

"Yeah…anyone happen to know what it means?" Namine said, happy that she wasn't the only one to get a paper like that.

"I don't know, but everyone who went to the Academy got one," a boy she knew as Tidus said.

"Yeah, and I heard that it was those guys," Kairi said nodding toward the back of the room where there was another group setting. Namine noticed two of the faces instantly. Axel and Demyx both sat amongst the group. They were both laughing at this one kid who seemed to be telling a story from where they sat on top of two desks.

"Every one of them has a criminal record as long as those essays we had to do over break," someone in our group seemed to say, though I wasn't really sure who it was seeing as I was still watching the other group.

"The two guys we ran into this morning, you know Axel and Demyx, they're two of the worst. Axel has been charged with vandalism and destruction of property almost fifteen times, in the last week alone. Though there's only a few out of his whole history that he's been found guilty on. Demyx is about the same, though he does have one for disturbing the peace, and one for aggravated assault with a guitar," Kairi told us informatively. She had no doubt heard it from her brother, who was a police officer, and only since put two and two together.

"And they're just two of the worst?" I said looking over at Kairi.

"Yeah, there's one kid that's worse then that," Kairi said but was soon cut off.

"You know, anyone can write something on a piece of paper." They all jumped at the foreign voice and looked behind them at the second door to find another boy standing there, one that Namine recognized as Roxas.

"What're you talking about?" Kairi said her face somewhere between shock and confusion. "Are you calling my brother a liar?"

"Close to it actually. Anyone can write something down on a piece of paper. All that stuff that you were just talking about; you know nothing about in general. You've got no idea what happened before it got that far. So I suggest you shut up about stuff you don't know about," Roxas told her staring at all of them. His face was placid, though you could tell in his words that he meant them to sound angry and stern.

"What's to know, you're all street dirt in the end," Tidus said, the threat of a fight seeping in his words.

"Yeah, that comeback wouldn't even make my little sister cry," Roxas said. "Figured you wouldn't listen anyway," he added as he headed past us toward his group who was now watching us as well.

"That's what they all say when they can't think of something better," Tidus remarked, though even I noticed the slight quiver in his voice.

"Huh," was all Roxas said before he looked over his shoulder and I say a slight grin on his face. "Guess your right." He said as he was still headed toward the back of the class and tossed his book bag down.

"Ah come on Roxas! Don't tell me those hags at that other school really got in your brain," Axel said, watching his friend.

"Yeah, you can't let him get away with that," Demyx added.

"Looks like your friend is just a chicken," Tidus said with a smile.

"Tidus shut up," Kairi hissed at him and Roxas looked back over at Tidus.

"Don't you have a better name to call me then that? Come on, you know you can say it. You're mommy isn't here to spank you if you do," Roxas mocked toward him, honestly starting to get very agitated.

"Well at least my mommy cared about me." This remark sent the room into silence. Namine started to get the feeling that Tidus had over stepped a little bit, and found she was right when Roxas was across the room in about five seconds and was one Tidus punching him as hard as he could.

"No, Roxas! Come on man don't really kill him!" Axel yelled dragging the smaller boy off Tidus, who was already bleeding from a busted lip and a bloody nose and had an eye that looked like it had taken the first punch. Tidus pulled himself to his feet quickly, moving as far away from Roxas as possible. Roxas was still struggling against Axel's grip, no doubt looking to cause more blood shed on the other boy's face.

"Yeah, see, you're not that scary," Tidus said, though his voice was shaking badly.

"Shut up before I let him kill you," Axel told hissing at him.

"Yeah, what are you a moron? He's already got you looking like a snowy sunset," a boy with navy hair told Tidus.

"What's going on here!" the teacher yelled once he entered the room. At this, Roxas stopped. Axel let go of him and he stood loosely, his face red and his brow sweaty. He shrugged a little and started to the back of the classroom.

"Wait a second, you-," the teacher started as Roxas picked up his backpack but Roxas cut him off.

"Yeah, yeah, I got the routine, go to the principal's office."

-x-x-x-

A/N: Well I hope you all like this. I know most of them our kind of out of character, but I was thinking on trying something a little new. Also, please remember the review button is to be hated! Hit it, hit it! Then type in all your thoughts of the story, then hit it again!


	2. High School Never Ends

Namine's POV

We all ended up getting dragged into the principal's office. They needed us to explain our side of the story, which wouldn't have been that hard if we wouldn't have to have waited. The principal wasn't even there, he was due to work late and since they didn't want to send any of us back to class for fear of another fight, they put us all in the detention room. All of us except Tidus that is, he was sent to the nurse to get cleaned up. The room was unlike any classroom I had ever seen. There were simple six tables, each of them sitting two people, and they were in two simple rows. There were no windows, only white walls, bright lights, and a camera that kept us monitored from the office because all of the teachers were teaching their classes.

"You're a lunatic, you know that?" Kairi was the first to talk to them, or at least to Roxas. I'll admit it now; I was scared to death of the guy. If you have seen the look in his eyes when he got into that fight you would too. The guy would've killed Tidus if he had been given the whole opportunity. I know he would have. These words though, didn't seem to bother Roxas. His face was once again back to a placid sort of look. He had his head rested on his hands down on the table. Axel piped in for him though.

"You can just shut up and sit back," Axel told her as he leaned back in his chair and balanced the weight against the white wall that was behind him.

"She's right, he is. He would've killed Tidus if he had gotten the chance," Riku said. He had been there the entire time apparently but I just hadn't noticed.

"Well I didn't see you stepping in," Axel replied.

"What are you saying?" Riku asked as he stood in a defensive way, saying he was ready to fight no matter what.

"I'm saying you know your friend was asking for a fight and that's what he got. Well…if you can even say that he even really put up one," Axel said simply, making no move to get up or anything.

"He didn't do anything, Roxas clearly started it!" Selphie, piped in.

"No, I think they're right, Tidus shouldn't have said anything about his mom." Now see, this is why I don't like saying much in these kinds of situations. As soon as I said this, the room went dead quiet. Everyone was staring at me. Well, everyone except Roxas.

"You can't tell me you actually think what that punk did was justified," Kairi said, staring at me in disbelief.

"No…I think it could've been handled better, but in all fairness Tidus did start it," I replied.

"Are you feeling alright Namine? You can't be to be sticking up for them," Selphie said, actually touching my forehead to see if I had a fever. I got an annoyed look on my face and pulled back from her.

"You can't tell me you don't think, not the least little bit, that Tidus wasn't asking for it," I told her. They all looked at me somewhat funny, but it was more of the silence that got me.

"Your telling me, that you think Tidus, a kid who the only time he has gotten in trouble was hitting the teacher with a paper football on accident one day, would be guilty against Roxas, a kid who's been through every disciplinary institution in this town and its borders?" Kairi said, the disbelief still printed all over her face.

"You know what, I think that's actually what I'm saying," I told her with a slight laugh. I doubt you would know this, but this is about the biggest thing I've ever decided to go up against my friends on. I didn't know why I was choosing to now, but I mean it didn't seem right. Tidus had been asking for it, and it seemed that all my friends seemed to be missing that little part.

"I take it that was your opinion on this." I looked over to find the principal had stepped in the doorway and I supposed he had been listening long enough to get the last few comments. I looked at him confused for a second and then started to think. If I said I was, then I was going to get a good bit of heat from my friends, but Roxas would cleared of something he actually didn't do. On the other hand, if I went with my friends I would be telling a lie and helping Tidus, and that would be the wrong thing to do. The problem was, which one was I going to choose.

"Yeah…I mean yes sir. That's my opinion. Tidus shouldn't have said that Roxas's mom didn't care about him, if he hadn't of said it I think Roxas would have just sat down with his friends and left us alone," I told him. All my friends looked at my in disbelief.

"Wait a second, Roxas started the whole thing, he told us that we needed to shut up," Kairi objected, looking up at the principal.'

"Yeah, about things we shouldn't be talking about, and he was right. We shouldn't have been talking about their criminal records," I replied and Kairi glared back at me. That took me back a bit. It was a glare that I had seen her give other girls and some guys, but she had never given it to me. It was a glare of pure hate, or at least close to it.

"I believe this is your lucky day, Mr. Iku. You see, from what Tidus had told me it seemed to me an expulsion was in order. I did understand that I hadn't gotten the full story yet. I guess this wasn't on all grounds your fault. However, you will have a three day suspension, and it will be added to your record," the principal said. "Thank you for your honesty Namine. Both because it saved me some time and honesty is hard to come by here."

"Uh…anytime," I said, not really sure how to respond to him.

"Now Roxas, come with me to call your Aunt," he said as he motioned also.

"Yeah, what fun," Roxas said sarcastically as he stood up with his backpack and headed toward the door though as he walked past me his seemed to look over and give a small smile. It could've been me imagining things too, because the smile was gone as quickly as it had come.

"The rest of you back to class," the principal ended, and with it, probably the only little bit enjoyment left in that day.

-x-x-x-

No one in our group talked to me for the rest of that day. Well, Kairi did, but it was only "How could you let a creep like that get away with that?" I couldn't believe I had stood up for him either. I couldn't believe I had said a word about any of it, I just had felt like I had to and I did. By lunch time I was pretty much regretting it, and wishing to switch schools. I thought it was about to get much worse when I got a visit from Axel, Demyx, and this boy I didn't know. I had been eating on my own in this weird corner of the cafeteria. My friends were a couple of tables away; they had refused to let me eat with them. They were glaring at me from time to time. It was during one of their glares that they walked up.

"What'd you want?" I mumbled, pretty sure that they were only there to make to day worse.

"Look…we kind of talked it over and stuff, and…well. Sorry, about this morning and stuff," Demyx said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah…and…Roxas told us to tell you thanks," Axel added. I could tell they obviously didn't do something like this too much.

"Thanks for what?" I asked, sort of confused.

"For telling the whole story, if you hadn't of then he would've been expelled and you've got no idea how his Aunt would've reacted to that. If we would've said anything he wouldn't have believed us, so it took someone like you," Demyx said.

"I only did what seemed right," I said, mostly thinking out loud.

"Yeah, well, you were the only one of your friends willing to do that," Axel said as he looked over his shoulders at the group of friends who turned around quickly when he did.

"Plus we wanted to ask you if you wanted to come and hang out with us. This school is a really tough place, especially if you walk around it alone," the boy I didn't know told me.

"Uh…," I glanced past Axel to my old friends, and I suddenly felt mad, furious even. I had done the right thing and they had hated me for it. So I could hate them for doing the wrong thing, right? I gave a sigh. "Sure, it's not like I've got many other friends anyway."

"Come on then, we don't like eating in the cafeteria. We find ourselves out of more trouble if we don't," Demyx said happily. I followed the three boys, throwing away the rest of my lunch because I knew I wasn't going to eat it anyway. We walked out of the cafeteria and then out a side door. We walked across the back parking lot which was filled with other teens skating and goofing off. They finally stopped at the stone wall that had stretched from the front courtyard and surrounded the parking lot except for a small spot where kids could drive in.

"People, this is Namine, Namine this is people," Demyx introduced, or tried to at least as the three boys hopped up on the wall beside two more people, a girl and the navy headed boy who had been in our first class.

"Yeah, Demy isn't very good at introducing people," the navy headed boy said. "I'm Zexion, that's Larxene, then you know Axel and Demyx, and I don't know if you know Sora or not." He pointed to each of the people as he said their names.

"So you're the girl who helped my brother?" the girl who I now knew was Larxene, said after taking a small drink of water.

"Uh…I guess so," I told her, my shy side starting to kick in.

"Guess nothing! She totally helped him! She was like 'Tidus started it!' and Diz was totally cool about it! He didn't even give her a questioning look or one of those 'You're just helping your friend' kind of look either!" Demyx said really fast.

"Thanks then, you got no idea how much trouble he would've been in," Larxene said before taking another drink.

"Yeah, he would've got sent back to the reform school or somethin',' Sora said nodding.

"They made him go last year, after Axel, Demyx, and he got into a fireworks stash," Zexion said.

"Either way, we owe you one. You want to come and hang out with us after school?" Larxene asked.

"Larxene needs another girl to hang out with, she's turning into too much of a tomboy," Demyx joked as he leaned back a bit on the wall. Larxene simply nudged him hard with his foot and he fell off the wall backwards.

"Uh…you do remember there was a thorn bush there, don't you?" Zexion asked and Larxene gave a sweet smile.

"Yeah, I do," she answered before looking back to me. "So, what'd you say?"

"Sure, where do you guys hang out at?" I asked, not sure if it'd be a good idea or not. At this point I didn't have much else to do, so why not?

"You know that old junk yard outside of town?" Axel asked and I shook my head.

"Well, how about you walk home with us, we only drop our books off at home and then head down there, we can show you where it is," Larxene said and I nodded.

"Sure, sounds like something cool to do," I said, actually some what excited to try something other then hanging out in the Smoothie Shack with Kairi and Selphie and them.

"Hey, Roxas will be there too. If Mom didn't ground him," Sora said happily as he tried to help Demyx out of the thorn bush.

"Ouch," Axel said in reference to Demyx arm which he had obviously landed on. It had thorns stuck in it and was already bleeding.

"Sora, Sora, pull them out!" Demyx panicked and I found myself surprised. I didn't think they would be the type to freak out over thorns.

"No way, I'm not," Sora said as he scooted away.

"Stop being a baby Demy just pull them out," Axel said.

"No, I can't! You do it!" Demyx told him.

"Come here," I told him and he looked at me. I walked over quietly and he stuck out his arm and closed his eyes. He squeaked a little every time I pulled out one of the thorns but other then that, he was fine.

"How is it I've seen you get in a dozen fights and you not even flinch when you got hit but you fall in a thorn bush and you can't even pull out the thorns?" Axel asked as he at some weird Cheez-it minis.

"'Cause then someone else is hurting me, and I don't see the pain coming," Demyx said as he used the bottom half of his white t-shirt.

"Won't your mom freak out if she sees that?" I asked as I sat up on the wall beside Larxene. Demyx just laughed a little.

"My mom won't notice. She's gone for a week on a business trip, I'll have it clean by the time she gets home," Demyx told me as he finished.

"Well she may not notice but the teachers will, and they'll wonder. You might want to where your hoodie the rest of the day," Axel told him and Demyx nodded, pulling on a black Rock Band hoodie. I wondered what he did if his mom was gone…and I wasn't sure it was a great idea to ask. On the off hand…what's the worst that could happen?

"So if your mom's gone, do you stay with your dad?" I asked curiously, hoping not to get the reaction out of Demyx that Tidus had gotten out of Roxas. I was happy when I didn't.

"Nope, dad's on a business trip too," Demyx said as he stole one of Axel's grips that he had been throwing in the air and catching in his mouth.

"Yeah, he always ends up bumming around our house," Sora said with a laugh. Right about that time, the end lunch bell rang.

"Hey Namine, what's your next class?" Larxene asked and I took out a small sheet from my pocket.

"Uh…Physics," I answered after looking over the sheet.

"The art of falling," Demyx yelled before jumping off the wall.

"Come on, fall boy and I have that class next too, room two hundred and four, right?" Larxene said and I nodded. As we were walking back in I noticed something about High School I hadn't really noticed before. How in one day, over one weird guy, all your friends can become enemies and all your enemies can become friends. You know what…you think I would be used that that by now.

-x-x-x-

A/N: "OMG!!! DID SHE GET TWO CHAPTERS DONE IN ONE DAY!" Oh yes, yes I did. This is a new-ish record for me! I have to go though so…BEAT UP THE REVIEW BUTTON!!!


	3. Swing Life Away

Nothing…and everything… and nothing made sense! My legs hurt from the speed I was running. My chest hurt because I couldn't catch my breath. The rain pounded me, as to break me down. As it seemed the whole world was breaking me down. The sirens kept pouring into my ears. I wasn't thinking, I was moving by instinct. To run from the noise, the confusion, that was what I was aiming to do. There was no where to go though! No where to hide or run. I was starting to feel like a bug under a microscope. That's until…I found this place…

-x-x-x-

"All I'm saying is that they shouldn't make it so confusing. I mean, if they wanted us to learn something, they should just put it simply," Demyx said as we all walked out of the school.

"The teacher did put it simply Demyx, seven plus five equals twelve," Zexion told him, obviously frustrated.

"Yeah, but why? I mean, why does it have to?" Demyx asked and I couldn't help but stifle a laugh. I was already starting to get how things worked in this group. Zexion was the smartest, almost a child genius. Axel was just unpredictable and obsessed with fire. Demyx and Sora weren't very bright but they were funny. Larxene was sort of the responsible one but she was also the mean one. Somehow, none of them were really what I had expected them to be.

"If you had five candy bars, and a complete idiot gave you seven more, then you'd have twelve," Zexion tried to explain as Demyx jumped up on the stone wall and started to balance on it.

"Why wouldn't I have thirteen?" Demyx asked. At this point, I think he was just arguing just for the sake of conversation, but it was entertaining.

"Because they didn't give you eight," Zexion said with a sigh.

"But-," Demyx started but Axel cut him off.

"Five and seven is twelve, end of story. It's better not to question it," Axel told him irritably.

"Well fine then," Demyx mumbled before jumping off the end of the wall from where we had gotten to the gate.

"Hey, Namine, wait up!" I looked behind me to see Selphie running up behind me. I got a confused look though I found the words to respond.

"What is it?" Okay, not the greatest response ever thought up but it was the best I had for this situation.

"Kairi wanted to talk to you. You still want to go shopping with us?" she asked with a smile, keeping her eyes on me and not looking at the others.

"Sorry, I sort of made other plans," I told her, turning around and heading to follow the others.

"No! Come on Namine! Seriously, she needs to talk to you," Selphie told me and I rolled my eyes.

"I don't need to talk to her," I replied before I left, and the rest of them following. The rest of the walk was spent in a sort of awkward silence. Except for Sora and Demyx, who were talking back and forth about an old swamp legend that they had heard about somewhere. There wasn't even a swamp in Twilight Town. Then again…I didn't know about their side of the town either. All the buildings had started to get a little old looking and had graffiti all over them. There were people lying in the streets asleep and some just sitting and staring.

"We're going on to the junk yard. Meet you there." With that, Zexion and Axel headed off in the direction of what I assumed to be the junkyard.

"Come on, this is home sweet home," Larxene said as she opened the door to reveal the small apartment. We walked in quietly, Demyx shutting the door behind him.

"Larxene!" a young girl chirped happily as she ran over to Larxene who had dropped her bag on the floor.

"Yuffie!" Larxene mocked the little girl's tone happily as she picked her up and spun her around. The little girl couldn't have been older then seven and she had short black hair and a very unique fashion sense.

"Yuffie, this is our new friend Namine, Namine this is our little sister Yuffie," Larxene introduced and the girl smiled at me and waved a bit.

"And my cute little cousin," Sora added as he ruffled Yuffie's hair, which earned him an annoyed glare from the younger girl.

"Hi," I said to the girl and she smiled at me again as Larxene put her down.

"Where's Aunt Tifa?" Larxene asked the younger girl curiously and she pointed toward the kitchen.

"She's in the kitchen, but she isn't in the happiest mood. Roxie never came home after school," Yuffie informed sweetly.

"Well then…we were never here," Sora said quietly as we headed toward the door quietly. I didn't understand why, but I followed. Soon we were stopped though.

"You know better then to just turn and leave and think I didn't hear you." I turned around quickly to see a woman who had long black hair standing in the door way looking at us. The other three turned to look as well.

"Uh…hi mom," Sora told her with a smile.

"What happened and where is Roxas?" she asked simply, as if this were an every day event. Which, for all I knew it was.

"He never came home?" Larxene asked curiously and her aunt shook her head. "Well then he probably went somewhere to cool off, we'll be back before supper." Larxene told her with a slight smile and wave as we headed for the door. The lady only sighed and headed back to the kitchen as we stepped back outside.

"Does Roxas not come home a lot?" I asked as we headed down the steps and toward the direction of the junk yard.

"Yeah, he does…but not when he needs to cool his head. He doesn't like to upset Aunt Tifa or Yuffie or anything," Larxene answered simply and with that, I kept quiet. I didn't think I needed to know anymore then that, I mean, it wasn't any of my business, now was it?

-x-x-x-

The junk yard wasn't what I thought it was going to be. It wasn't like in most of the movies I had seen. It wasn't this lot that was filled with crushed cars and had a guard dog and looked like a killer was about to spring from one of the windows at any minute, it wasn't really that scary at all. Yeah, it had a high chain link fence and there were some beat up cars inside, but not many of them were crushed. There was no "Warning: Beware of Dog" sign, and there wasn't a dog jumping up at the fence trying to bite our heads off. So maybe all this hype about a bad place to be really was just hype.

I followed Larxene and Demyx to a back gate where I noticed an old rusty chain was sitting on the ground and pad lock to match beside it. I wondered if it was already off, or if we were trespassing. Either way, I didn't ask questions. I only followed. We walked for a good bit, even inside the junk yard, until we reached Roxas, Axel, and Zexion, and there were a few other guys as well. Axel was sitting on top of a car, a cigarette in his mouth as he smoked and his elbow rested on his knee. Zexion was sitting under a makeshift shelter type thing, no doubt trying to escape the harsh summer sun. This place didn't seem like it was it was in Twilight Town, the sun shown down on it brightly instead of making it a simply red and orange tinted place. Roxas, or who I assumed was Roxas, was lying in the dirt under a vehicle with tools scattered out around him.

"Hey, Roxas," Larxene said, kicking his leg lightly as she walked by and being barely audible over the loud music Axel had playing.

"What?" Roxas asked, sounding a bit annoyed but not coming out from under the car. Larxene rolled her eyes at the response before going over and switching off Axel's music, earning her a quick objection from Axel.

"There's someone here you should officially meet, Rox," Larxene told him as she sat down in the seat of an old car that had been pulled out and was tossed onto the ground.

"Can I meet them later?" Roxas groaned as he continued his work. I only stood there in the entrance, feeling a little out of place. Sora and Demyx had disappeared to somewhere else by now, to where, I wasn't exactly sure at the time.

"No, now," Larxene told him quickly and I heard Roxas only growl before he slipped out from under the car and stood up, growing taller then me within seconds. He wasn't wearing his graffiti hoodie anymore, which I noticed it had been tossed over next to where Axel was sitting on the car. Now he was only wearing what looked like an old baseball t-shirt that had had black sleeves, though he had cut off the sleeves. Now all it had was white shoulders that stretched and surrounded the collar and the rest was plain white.

"Namine, right?" he asked me, which is what brought me back a bit. I nodded, looking up at him a bit. "Yeah, I'm Roxas. Nice to meetchya," he replied to the nod quickly.

"You too," I replied back a bit quietly, not exactly sure what to say. Roxas was supposed to be the most troubled kid in the school, which he probably was. He was supposed to be the classic bad boy who hated the world and wanted it all to go away. He was supposed to be huge, with muscles and a glare on all the time, but he wasn't. He wasn't any of that. I mean…he was standing right in front of me, politely introducing himself. He didn't have on a scowl or a glare, and he was even a bit small for his age though still taller then me. He was nothing like everyone made him out to be.

"Thanks, for saving my skin earlier…I probably wouldn't have been able to step foot back into that school again if it hadn't of been for you." See! He even said thanks! Then again, I had only met the guy for two minutes, what did I know.

"Can I turn the music back on?" Axel asked Larxene who was now reading a magazine that she apparently kept stashed in the middle part of the seats she was sitting in.

"Sure, sure, just none of that junk metal head crap," she told him and Axel glared over at her.

"I like hard metal," he told her quickly as Roxas turned away from me.

"At least it isn't hip hop," Roxas told her with a slight laugh as he went back under the car, working on it once more I guessed. I went over and sat down next to Larxene as she kept arguing with the two boys. The funny thing was, I was starting to find this more amusing then hanging out with Kairi and all the other Twilight Private Academy students…and had I known what I know now…maybe I would've second guessed my judgment on that thought.

-x-x-x-

We didn't leave the junk yard until later, and by the time we were back at their house it was almost dark out. I still think Roxas had different reasons for offering to walk me home, I think he just wanted to get away from the house more, but either way he did. I didn't refuse either, not after he brought up what end of town I was on and how it was almost dark. So, that led to us walking down the sidewalk again, Roxas back in his hoodie as it was getting colder outside. We walked in silence for a little while before he broke it.

"Why'd you do it?" The question caught me off guard a bit, and I looked over at him confused, though he never looked back, only stared up at the sky as we were walking. "Why'd you tell Diz that it wasn't my fault?" I swallowed a bit, not exactly knowing how to answer the question.

"I guess, because it was the right thing to do." That was the best answer I could come up with for my actions. I wasn't sure how else to answer.

"I don't buy it," Roxas told me with a sigh and I looked over at him, still confused.

"I don't buy that people do something just because it was the right thing," he answered me simply, not looking over at me though. I looked toward the ground.

"Well, I don't have a better answer for you. Sometimes people just do I guess." He scoffed.

"Still don't buy it."

"Why don't you?" I asked him quickly.

"'Cause normal people don't do things just because it is right." I gave him a bit of an angry look.

"I did," I told him quickly. At that he looked over at me, his eye brows raised.

"What makes you so different from everyone else?" he asked me, watching me closely. I kept my angry look as I continued to argue with him.

"The same thing that makes me not everyone else, I'm me," I replied to him, not understanding what I said myself. He seemed to though, and he smiled a bit.

"That's a pretty good reason then, I guess," I heard him say quietly, as he looked toward the ground, and kicking a rock with his old, black engineer boots before looking back up. His smile faded quickly as we both stopped, noticing the group of people who were standing in front of us now, and noticing Riku standing right in front of them.


	4. Believe Me, I'm Lying

I stood there, a bit confused and Roxas only sighed and shifted his weight between his feet. I knew this wasn't going to end well, this couldn't end well…and this time there was no one here to drag Roxas off Riku if he happened to lose his temper, which at this point looked like he was close to it.

"What'd you want?" Roxas asked, looking back over at them. It sounded like he had said it a couple times before, and it sounded like he didn't even notice the fact it wasn't only Riku standing in front of him.

"Street dirt only comes this far." I glared at Riku for the comment but Roxas only smirked.

"That all you wanted to say?" he asked and Riku seemed to get a confused look in his eyes, like he was sure that would've made Roxas mad enough to attack him first. Somehow, I thought it would've too. Riku didn't let his confusion show on his face though.

"Yeah, so turn around and walk away now," Riku told him and Roxas only shrugged.

"Whatever you say, pretty boy, just be careful to not get jumped getting back to your side of town. You're not in fairy land over here." With that Roxas turned around and headed back off towards his place, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Riku got an angry look, this time it showed obviously on his face.

"Go on home to your mom then." After Riku yelled this, the only noise heard was Roxas's boot sliding to a stop as he stopped stepping toward his place. He didn't look back at Riku or me or any of them for that matter. He only stared forward. All I could do was stand there and wait for it. Why was Riku trying to get him to fight? He had seen what Roxas had done to Tidus in less then a minute, why was Riku picking a fight with a guy like that? We all stayed in a bit of silence for a second. Personally, I was waiting for all hell to unleash, but then Roxas caught me off guard a bit.

"Will do," he said simply before he started walking again. Riku only scowled more.

"You're a freak, you know that?" he yelled to Roxas once more and Roxas only laughed a bit before turning around toward Riku, walking backwards a bit.

"Whatever you deem, pretty boy. I'm a freak," he told him with a smirk before turning on his heels and finally disappearing in the darkness. I looked up at Riku angrily.

"You're a jerk." That was all I told him before pushing past him and heading back toward my house. Riku seemed a little surprised, like he forgot I was even there. He followed behind me quickly.

"Come on Namine, the guys a nut case and you know it," he told me quickly as he kept pace with me.

"He makes a whole lot more sense then you."

"He's a trouble maker! That kid our parents used to warn us about when we were little."

"As far as I saw, you were the one trying to make trouble. I'm going to guess just so you could say you beat up Roxas Iku, am I right?" He grabbed my arm, stopping me from walking.

"Namine, he's a murderer," Riku told me quickly, looking into my eyes. I stood there, only staring back and confused. That wasn't possible…it was Roxas. I had just spent the last three hours with him. He didn't seem like a murderer, like I said before he didn't even seem like a trouble maker or a bad boy or anything.

"What are you lying about now?" I responded to Riku quickly, jerking my arm away from him.

"Kairi told us, it's in his records. He killed someone." He said it like it was the simplest thing in the world. I stared at the ground, still a bit confused and standing still. "Do you really want to be associated with a murderer Namine? Do you honestly want to hang out with a guy like that? Or do you want to hang out with your friends, the ones you've known since you were four?" I blinked at the words, and said something I never thought I would have the guts to say.

"You know what Riku. I'll take my chances with the murderer." With that I left again, leaving Riku behind, no doubt furious at me now. I didn't care, today had been a confusing day. I was tired and sick of it all…and had no doubt just ruined any reputation I may have ever had.

-x-x-x-

The next morning really different from what I was used to, then again so had been yesterday. To be honest, the day before felt like a total dream…like it hadn't even happened. I woke up that morning actually thinking it was, and questioning myself to if it had really happened or not. I pulled on some jeans and a black t-shirt after looking at the clock and finding that I had over slept a bit. At TPA I never had a problem with choosing clothes since there was a set uniform. At THS, you could where anything as long as it was within school dress codes. I pulled my hair up in a quick pony tail and slipped on some of my white sneakers before grabbing my light green back and heading downstairs and out the door toward school.

That was about the time I realized the day before hadn't been a dream. When I stepped outside my front door and didn't find Kairi and Selphie waiting on me. So that morning, I walked to school alone for a bit before Demyx and Axel skated up like they had the day before. I guess we had the same walk to school.

"Hey, Namine," Demyx said in a bit of a sing song voice as the two picked up their boards and walked beside me.

"Your friends ditched you after yesterday?" Axel asked me, like it wasn't obvious enough.

"Yeah, you'd be surprised how quick that happens when they suddenly all become jerks and you call them out on it." They both only shook their heads a bit.

"Sorry about that," Demyx told me simply.

"Not your fault. How's Roxas though?" This question seemed to confuse them both, but Axel was the one who answered.

"I guess he's fine…why would you ask? Got a crush or something?" I rolled my eyes a bit at the remark but answered anyways. Me? Like the school's bad boy? No…way.

"No, it's just last night we ran into Riku and he called Roxas out about his mom and called him a freak." They looked at each other with that look that they all seemed to have; like they were talking without actual words.

"Pretty boy said that?" I nodded at Axel's question. "What'd he say exactly?"

"'Go home to your mom' and then when Roxas replied like he didn't mind for the comment, Riku called him a freak."

"Roxas didn't hit him though, right?" Axel asked like he expected it, like he was worried that Roxas did or something.

"No…he just walked away." They both smiled at bit at this. I didn't know why, but they did. The only think I could figure out was that they were happy Roxas hadn't hit Riku, that he hadn't gotten himself into more trouble.

"A freak, huh…" Axel sounded like he was thinking out loud, though he was now smirking a bit. I didn't get the chance to ask him what he meant. By that time we were walking up to the school. I saw my old friends, all of them sitting on the wall and ground under a tree. I saw Tidus too. His face covered with band-aids. They watched us as we walked through the gate and headed into the school. I felt a little uneasy but Axel and Demyx seemed to be used to it. Then again, they were earning other glares, not just from that one group. Axel must have noticed I was feeling a little uneasy and noticed why at the same time.

"Ever feel regret?" I looked up at him, confused by the odd question. Then I looked at the ground, not sure how to answer the question.

"A little…I guess." I heard Axel sigh at my answer, but he kept his gaze forward, dodging some people as we walked through the crowded halls.

"Good…you'd been a liar if you didn't," he remarked to me simply as we climbed up some stairs to the third floor and to our first class. I stayed close to Axel and Demyx, who didn't seem to mind much. For some reason…I got the feeling they understood how I was feeling at the moment. Like an outcast…and a kid everybody hated…a kid everybody wanted dead. Then I realized something…that's what everyone had said about them too. So maybe they did understand, but I didn't even know them all that well and I understood one thing. Don't think you know them just yet. I mean…Riku had said Roxas was a murderer…was that even possible? I didn't know…but I did know that if he wasn't one now, and if he wanted me to know, he would tell me.

We walked into the first class and I followed the two to the back of the room. They took the seats they had had the day before, and I noticed Zexion and Sora were in the group as well. The rest, I didn't know.

"Who's she?" a girl with short black hair and light blue eyes asked. She was watching me curiously, but not in the mean kind of way. In the way that actually made me think she cared who I was.

"Namine," I found myself answering simply. Then I noticed I had answered for myself, no one else had had to do it for me. The girl smiled at me.

"I'm Xion," the girl told me happily. She patted the seat beside her and I took the seat next to her.

"Yeah, the same girl who knocked over the paint and got me in trouble for getting it all over the floor." I looked over to see Marly, the pink headed boy from the other day. I gave him a bit of a weak smile.

"Eh, sorry about that…I really didn't mean to." He rolled his eyes a bit at the apology and it caused Demyx to laugh.

"Don't worry about Marluxia; he's always a Mr. Grouchy," Demyx said with a playful smile, earning him a glare from Marluxia.

"Those TPA kids found those letters again." Zexion's comment made me look to the front of the room, where Riku and Kairi and the others were sitting with different colors of construction paper.

"What…are those?" The question kind of slipped out of my mouth. Like I didn't mean to ask it, but I did.

"Threats, what else?" Axel made it sound so simple, like there was nothing else to it. He also made them sound suspicious. I debated for a second, to ask or not to ask. Finally, I decided to just ask.

"Were you the ones who sent them out?" No one seemed surprised that I asked the question. In fact, Demyx smiled, laughing some.

"What does it matter if we did or didn't? I mean, everyone already thinks we did, so our word doesn't mean anything." It actually sounded like a generic answer you would get from Axel, or the Axel I knew as of that moment anyways.

"I don't really care if you did or didn't…I was just asking," I mumbled and Axel only looked over at me curiously before leaning forward, just a few inches from my face. That confused me, and I'm pretty sure it showed on my face. His green eyes just stared closely at mine.

"No, we didn't," he answered, seeming to search my eyes for something.

"Good enough for me," I replied, not looking away. Axel only smiled, leaning back away from me. He looked like he was about to say something else before the teacher walked in. I turned around, facing the front of the room as did the rest of them. The teacher was fumbling around at his desk before turning back to the board. About that time is when Kairi decided it was time for her to screw something else up. I watched as she raised her hand and the teacher called on her.

"When we walk into this school does the basic laws we must live by seize to exist?" she asked him sternly and the teacher looked at her somewhat surprised. He was about to say something when Axel cut in.

"This isn't English class, princess; you don't have to use the big words." The teacher cut his eyes toward Axel quickly. I'm guessing he didn't exactly have the best reputation with that teacher by the look he got either. Kairi went on, ignoring Axel.

"For the past two days, every Academy student has received these threatening letters from some unknown person," she told the teacher informatively before she looked over toward me and corrected herself. "Well, most Academy students."

"Hey, isn't there an everyday law about record confidentiality?" Axel piped in, looking over at Zexion who only nodded.

"Yes, there actually is. If a record has no pertinence to a person, then they do not have the right to know it and thus should not spread it," Zexion said, no doubt quoting it from somewhere he had read it.

"We have a right to know what trash walks through our school," Kairi told them both quickly, standing up dramatically for some reason. Hey…she had always been the dramatic type. Axel only laughed some at the comment.

"You sure have some low self esteem don't you? 'Cause the way I see it, you're the trash that blew through here." The entire class was watching Kairi and Axel, including the teacher. Who, at that point, I was wondering why he wasn't breaking up the fight.

"Shut it." Well…that was actually a logical comeback coming from Kairi…

"Hey, stating the obvious. You guys complain about having to come here just 'because we're here, right? Guess what, that's the same reason none of us want to be here, only opposite. They decided to let you all in the school and all of a sudden we're the low life street dirt you all get to pick on because you got nothing better to do." What surprised me is that Axel said all that calmly, not yelling or standing up, and it still sent the class into silence. It still sent Kairi into silence…and I don't think you realize what big of a feat that is. Then again…these guys did seem to have a knack for doing what no one else expected.

-x-x-x-

A/N: Ta-da! Well, I don't think there's much to comment about on this chapter for me…but I'd love to hear from you guys! Go on! Beat that review button up!


	5. Stolen

After the little class discussion, Axel was sent out of the room to the principal though Kairi got to stay since it was only her first offense, or so the teacher said. Needless to say this made me a little mad, but I was starting to learn that this sort of thing wasn't all that uncommon. We didn't catch back up to Axel until lunch.

"How bad they get you?" Sora's question came out simple. I only watched Axel closely as he was digging through his locker, looking annoyed.

"Two weeks of after school detention," Axel replied simply and Demyx only gave a little laugh.

"Skip it; it isn't that big of a thing." Demyx made it sound like the perfect plan, though I think everyone but Demyx kind of knew that wouldn't work.

"Can't, Diz said if I skip out he'll personally call Reno and I'll be back in court for truancy all over again." I could tell Axel didn't seem too happy about that. Of course...a good clue would've been when he slammed his locker shut as Diz walked out of his office. Diz only gave Axel a slight glance before continuing down the hall and heading for the back door to where we had eaten the previous day. Right about that time the intercom switched on.

"All students report to the auditorium at this time, all students to the auditorium." We all looked at each other, slightly confused before heading off toward it. When we walked in it wasn't exactly the picture I wanted to see. TPA students were being seated in one side of the large, dark room while THS students were sitting on the other. It didn't take the others long to realize this…or to realize that I was on edge about it either.

"Come on, there's too many people for them to check every individual person. Just stick between me and Demy and you won't have to go near them," Axel told me quietly as he looked over his shoulder at me. I sighed before shaking my head, not believing I was about to do this, but I was.

"I can deal. It's only for a little bit, right?" I said with a weak laugh and Axel looked at me curiously before looking straight ahead again.

"Whatever you think…if they give you any problems, tell us and we'll take care of it later." I nodded at Larexene's comment before I went over and sat down in the back, away from everyone and trying to keep myself out of at least a little trouble. That didn't work out so well when Kairi and Riku sat down in front of me. I thought for a minute they might actually leave me alone, until Kairi turned around and started talking.

"I think it's really a really nice thing you do, Namine. Being friends with those troubled kids, even if it is only because you feel sorry for them," she told me with a fake smile and I felt my face starting to go a little red as everyone else looked over at me suspiciously, or at least everyone around us.

"No, Kairi. That was the only reason I was friends with you, remember?" I shot back, getting slightly annoyed and already regretting I hadn't sat over with the others.

"Well then let me remind you, no one needs your charity." She gave me one of those half smiles with her head tilted and I only rolled my eyes.

"Not charity Kairi, it's called a real friend. You should try and find one." She looked at me with that dramatic appalled face and I only smirked.

"Those losers aren't friends, Namine. I bet I could get them to admit they were friends with me before we get out of school Friday," she said quickly and I smirked. Two days, she could get them that they were friends in two days. It was impossible. So hey, why not have fun with it?

"Okay, I'll take you up on that bet." She looked at me dumbfounded.

"Wait, what?" she asked quickly and I nodded.

"You've got a bet. You've got until the end of school Friday. If you don't, you back off me," I told her quickly and she only smiled.

"But if I do you have to tell them you hate them and were only friends because you felt sorry for them. Deal?" she replied as she held out her hand. Reluctantly, I shook it.

"Deal."

-x-x-x-

So…maybe it wasn't the best idea to make a bet like that…but hey, what can I say? I saw a chance to get rid of Kairi, and I took it. They weren't allowed to know either. No one was allowed to tell them what was going on. So I was sure that walking home that afternoon was most defiantly going to be awkward. Well…it was a little, but at least it wasn't horrible. It was just Sora, Demyx, and Larxene since Axel was stuck in detention and Zexion off doing some after school project or something.

"You know…that was the worst assembly they have ever called," Demyx said after a while. That was one thing I didn't personally agree with him on that, though. The assembly had been all about how we needed to act more like one school….and how he would personally catch and punish the person or persons responsible for the threatening noted that had been found in the lockers of the TPA students. I was going to reply when Riku stepped out from around a corner with two guys behind him.

"Looks like you guys are two bad boys short now aren't you?" Riku asked as he crossed his arms. "And from what I've seen, the whole muscle of your group." At this Demyx only shook his head.

"No, we still have some muscle, just not wanting to use it," he said simply as he tried to side step them. Riku scowled as he put his hand on Demyx's chest to shove him back though when he did, Demyx grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back tightly, close to breaking it.

"What the hell?! Let go!" Riku said through gritted teeth and Demyx only shook his head. The weird thing was Demyx had a look on his face that made me think that he thought…that this was some kind of game. It was actually pretty frightening once I thought about it.

"You have to say mercy, come on, and say mercy." Demyx was talking to Riku like he was a little puppy of some sort…either that or a small child. Riku still winced and Demyx seemed to put more pressure on his arm.

"Okay, okay! Mercy!" And with that Demyx let go of Riku and stepped back away from him with a satisfied grin on his face.

"See, I don't hide behind my friends for help." Sora just seemed to step past Riku as well as Demyx started down the sidewalk once more. I stepped past them with Larxene. I was actually slightly surprised at Demyx…I wouldn't have ever guessed he could actually do something like that. Riku scowled at us as he continued down the road now. It was all quiet…before long I simply asked the questioned that preyed on my mind.

"Hey Demyx, where'd you learn to fight like that?" The question did seem kind of random to him, I suppose since it had been about a good five minutes since it had occurred. I had learned, by then, those five minutes were long enough for Demyx to simply get over something and become interested in another. He shrugged his shoulders though.

"I don't know…my parents signed me up for karate classes when I was little…but I never stuck to them. I guess it's kind of like learning to talk or something. You don't exactly get _taught _to hit someone. You just see it and develop it yourself." By the end it sounded more or less like he was simply thinking out loud. He reminded me of those philosophers that they seemed to talk about in school sometimes. Like he didn't ever see what was right in front of him, but what was far away from everyone else's sight was crystal clear to him. I don't know…maybe Demyx was smart in his own little way. He was lucky. He got to see everything else that we couldn't….and I think that was one of the moments I was ever really jealous of Demyx.

-x-x-x-

Eventually we wound back up at Roxas' house just like the day before. I figured that this was probably their normal routine to go to their houses before going to the junkyard. This time though, when we got there it wasn't exactly the same scene as it had been the day before. Roxas stormed out just as the door opened, letting it slam back against Sora though I hardly think he noticed we were there. Larxene and Sora seemed to look at each other but I watched Roxas leave up the street quickly, obviously mad. After a few moments we stepped back into the house and there was his Aunt Tifa, sitting on the couch with her head in her hands.

"Mom, what's the matter?" Sora was the first to actually let her know that they were there. At hearing his voice Tifa looked up at us before sighing.

"I won't you kids to answer something for me, and I want it to be honest," she said as she still watched us. We were all hesitant, not exactly knowing what the question was. I didn't even fully know if I could answer it. Still, after a few moments I nodded along with my two friends. "Larxene…your father…has he been around Roxas any at all? Have you two been meeting him in town or something?" Larxene seemed to freeze at the question, a moment where she said nothing and I don't even think I saw her blink. Of course it was a matter that I didn't know about…it was one I hadn't even thought to think ask about. Of course I knew it was probably a sensitive subject…and I didn't want to pry. I mean they had never nagged me about my home life, why should I nag them about theirs? Now it was starting to draw questions in my mind, but none of which I was going to ask right there and then.

"No, none at all, why?" Larxene's words are what pulled me back from my thoughts. I looked between her and Tifa, feeling some tension but not so sure if it wasn't just my own imagination. Tifa shook her head at her answer.

"You know better to lie about me on stuff like this…right Larxene?" Tifa's voice sounded worried, like a mother who was watching her child about to jump from a swing set. Her face was contorted to the same worry. I, once more, didn't understand why in the least. Larxene nodded.

"Yeah…I know," she answered quietly. Even I wasn't convinced by it though Tifa shrugged and gave a light smile.

"Well thank you then," she told them quietly and Larxene nodded.

"Where…was Roxas going right then anyway?" Sora finally piped in. His voice made the tension fall a little…but other then that it still seemed to stick in the air just like the smiles on their faces. Tifa shrugged.

"I don't know, we got into an argument over…some things…and he just left." I could tell Tifa was dodging some information just by me being there, but once again it wasn't my place to say anything. Larxene nodded slowly, looking as if she knew where he went. She turned on her heel and headed back out the door.

"We'll be back for dinner," Larxene called as I followed them out and shut the door behind me. I followed them for a while, not exactly knowing where we were going though soon enough we ran into Axel who seemed happy until he saw us.

"What's the matter?" It obviously didn't take much for him to realize the worry that was coating Larxene's face. Larxene shook her head though.

"Dad's apparently out again…and Tifa's worried he found Roxas," she explained. I'm not sure how she got that entire story into one little sentence…but it seemed to work for Axel.

"He hasn't been acting like it…but there's only one way to find out." Axel said with a nod and we were walking once more. We walked for a little while longer until I finally got up the nerve to ask them.

"W-What's so bad about your dad?" The words slipped from my mouth and sounded just like I was a child who knew they were doing something wrong by asking, but were asking anyway. Still, in all reality that was exactly what I was feeling like. Larxene didn't seem to mind it. She actually seemed like she saw it coming. Of course she probably did…but hey, that gets a good bit of the awkwardness out of the way for me.

"He's kind of…obsessed…with fighting…" Larxene looked like she was trying to pick her words carefully so I let her take her time, not saying anything at all. Finally she said something else. "He…didn't notice me or Yuffie…after our mom died…which was kind of better for us. He always saw Roxas though. He wanted Roxas to be the best fighter in the world…which meant Roxas had to beat him too. He expected a seven year old kid…to…to just beat him. He didn't hold back on him either…sometimes Roxas couldn't even move after a fight. If-," Larxene shook her head, not wanting to go on as I stared at the ground now. She finally spoke up once more. "If dad and all that gang is back…then two things will probably happen. Roxas will either kill dad…or he'll work for him."

"Neither of which we are going to let happen." Axel's voice surprised me some but still a smile crossed my face at hearing it and I nodded.

"Yeah…I mean…he's going to be fine. No worries," I reassured Larxene who nodded slowly, obviously not taking much of the reassurance. It's not like I would in that situation either…so I couldn't blame her in the least. Finally we came to a large old building that we pulled over to the alley. Axel motioned for us to stay back and stay quiet as he pulled up and looked into the window that was cracked just enough to where we could hear voices if any where there. When I looked in myself…all I saw was him. Roxas…standing quietly in the room with his hands stuffed in his pockets and staring at some old pictures on the wall. Through the crack musty window…he looked a little older then I knew he actually was. I couldn't say anything though…all I could do was what the others were. Simply sitting there and watching. The room had a large stain glass window as well, one that he was standing just outside of its colorful reflection. All the colors danced on the floor…but stopped at his feet. It was amazing. No matter what happened…he seemed to always surprise me…always.


	6. Who I Am Hates Who I've Been

Roxas seemed to stay there for the longest, simply staring at the walls around him. So long that we almost decided to go inside and see what he was doing. That was until Axel told us all quickly to get down. We ducked the window quietly though you could still hear inside that there were footsteps, heavy ones.

"I figured I could find you here." I didn't notice the voice. It sounded deep and was obviously male. I started to wish the building walls were made out of wood instead of brick, so I actually may have had a chance at peeping through though I didn't.

"You're not supposed to be within four city blocks from me," I heard Roxas say as we each moved to where we could look over the each of the sill quietly and back into the room where Roxas had since turned and was looking to a large man who had long silver hair.

"Now come on, didn't my lessons make you stronger?" The man seemed…almost scary. Like a bad figure in a movie that you can just feel the fear of others radiating from them.

"They got me into a hell of a lot of trouble."

"But they got you out of trouble as well."

"Parents aren't supposed to hit their kids. You know I didn't even realize that until about a month into seeing a therapist over your sorry ass?"

"If you'd come with us then you'd never have to see another therapist again. We understand you, Roxas. You are just like us." At this Roxas seemed to laugh a little and shake his head, taking a step back from the man who seemed to get an angry look at this. I had the feeling that he didn't exactly want Roxas to leave.

"I've spent the last nine years trying to not be like you," Roxas said firmly and them man seemed to smirk at this. Needless to say I had no idea in the least what they were even talking about, though Larxene seemed to. Her face seemed to have turned paler then usual as she watched the two.

"The key word there being you tried, but it seems like you've had problems. You've been in and out of schools and reformatories as well as the little kiddy jails, right?" Roxas glared at the man

"I'm not discussing this with you. Now you'd better skip town before I call the cops on you and Uncle Xigbar and the rest of your merry band of assholes," he said quickly before turning and heading out the door.

"I don't think you're stupid enough to do that Roxas. You know what we'll do if you try," the man said and Roxas froze, his hand in a tight fist. So tight his knuckles seemed to be turning white.

"I swear, if you come near Larxene or Yuffie I will kill you. Don't think I'll think twice about it," he said, his voice so calm I actually got some chills. With that Roxas walked out the door, letting it slam shut behind him.

-x-x-x-

After that we took off before anyone could spot us. Larxene didn't seem to say anything at all. Neither did anyone else, until Demyx finally seemed to speak up.

"How did he get out? He was supposed to stay in there for the rest of his life right?" Larxene sighed and shook her head as she stared toward the ground.

"No…child abuse doesn't hold a high enough charge to keep him in for the rest of his life. It could, but Roxas won't say anything against him on the record…all they have is his scars and medical records to go on. They never actually saw how bad he would get it sometimes. Dad never really took him to the hospital either afterwards so…so they really never had anything," she explained quietly. Finally, I found some courage to speak up and ask a question.

"How did they catch him?" My voice seemed to startle them, like they had forgotten that I was there. Of course with all they seemed to be having to worry about I didn't blame them.

"Roxas ran away one night…to that old church back there…and one of the workers called the cops when they found him the next morning. They locked up dad and sent us to Aunt Tifa's," Larxene explained, the words seeming dry in her throat. "He isn't allowed near Roxas under any circumstances. He isn't even allowed near Roxas's death bed unless Roxas, by some strange and extremely out there chance, asks for him to be there." I nodded. I had read stuff like this in books and seen it on TV. It was different when you heard about it in real life though. It…was sort of the same sadness but it had more of a real vibration to it. It also made me feel helpless. I felt like I needed to help him. I felt like I needed to get him out of this hell he seemed to be stuck in, but I couldn't. There wasn't a thing that I could do about any of this and it was driving me nuts.

Soon enough we were back at their apartment. It was late by the time we got back so I called my parents and decided to spend the night there. Larxene didn't have anything for me to sleep in, she told me to just get a t-shirt from Roxas's and Sora's room. I slipped in the room quietly and looked around the room quietly, it seeming like an average teenagers room. It was messy with two beds that were unmade. I went to the old dresser in the corner of the room. I grabbed a black and gray striped shirt out of one of the drawers quietly. I was about to leave before I noticed a book sitting on top of his dresser.

"Roxas' Journal" was scribbled over the front and I stared at it for a moment. It was an invasion of privacy to read it…wasn't it? Then again…who would catch me? I swallowed and picked up the book quietly, sitting down on the edge of a bed that was covered with a simply a tan sheet and covers and pillows. After another seconds hesitation I opened it to find all that was inside were poems…or they seemed like poems to me at least. I started to read one quietly, curious of what it was about.

"_I watched the proverbial sunrise coming up over the pacific end._

_You might think I'm losing my mind_

_But I will shy away from the specifics._

'_Cause I don't want you you to know, where I am._

'_Cause then you'll see my heart, in the saddest state it's ever been._

_This is no place to try and live my life._

_Stop right there, that's exactly where I lost it._

_See that line? Well I never should've crossed it._

_Stop right there, well I never should've said that,_

_It's the very moment that I wish that I could take back._

_I'm sorry for, the person I became._

_I'm sorry that, it took so long for me to change._

_I'm ready to try and never become that way again._

'_Cause who I am hates who I've been._

_Who I am hates who I've been._

_I talked to absolutely no one, couldn't keep to myself enough _

_And all the things bottled inside_

_Have finally begun to create so much pressure that I had to blow up,_

_I heard the reverberating footsteps,_

_Sinking up to the beating of my heart._

_And I was positive that unless I got myself together I would watch me fall apart _

_And I can't let that happen again._

'_Cause then you'll see my heart in the saddest stat it's ever been. _

_This is no place to try and live my live._

_Stop right there, that's exactly where I lost it._

_See that line? Well I never should've crossed it._

_Stop right there, well I never should've said that,_

_It's the very moment that I wish that I could take back._

_Stop right there, that's exactly where I lost it._

_See that line? Well I never should've crossed it._

_Stop right there, well I never should've said that,_

_It's the very moment that I wish that I could take back._

_I'm sorry for the person I became_

_And I'm sorry that it took so long for me to change, _

_I'm ready to try never become that way again._

'_Cause who I am hates who I've been_

_Who I am hates who I've been._

_Who I am hates who I've been_

_And who I am will take the second chance they gave me._

_Who I am hates who I've been_

_And who I've been has only even made me_

_So sorry for the person I became_

_So sorry that it took so long for me to change_

_I'm ready to try to never become that way again._

'_Cause who I am hate who I've been._

_Who I am hates who I've been."_

After a good ways into I realized it wasn't a poem, but song lyrics. He never had struck me as one to write stuff like this but apparently he was.

"What'd you doing?" I jumped at the voice and stood quickly to see Roxas standing in the door.

"I-I was just…um." He laughed some at my stuttering.

"Looking through my journal? I don't really care you know. They just make me keep that," he said with a sigh as he stepped into the room calmly and I handed said book back over to him. "They say just to write down what I feel and I do…it's supposed to help me get through my emotions better."

"Well you're very good at writing songs and stuff," I said with a weak laugh, not really sure of what to say in a situation like this. Roxas nodded.

"Thanks, it's the only way I really know how to express myself," he admitted with a weak laugh and I nodded before looking back to the shirt I also had in my hand.

"Oh yeah, do you mind if I…wear this for the night? Larxene didn't have anything that fit me right," I asked and he laughed a little.

"Sure if you think that will too. You can have it actually, I got it from my old school," he admitted with a shrug. I couldn't really believe he was acting as calm and casual as he was, after everything that had happened that day. I would be freaking out, but he stood there with a smile that was most likely a façade. He still didn't know that we knew…I had to keep that in mind. With that thought I gave a smile and nodded.

"Thanks," he said before I left the room with a sigh. I had a bad feeling in the bottom of my stomach…like none of this was going to end well…not well at all.


End file.
